Yoga Challenge

Today was not a productive day but it was relaxing.  I’ve spent the day surfing the net, reading blogs, chatting on the phone and watching the tube.  The perfect way to spend a rainy Sunday.
To say I have been slacking in the exercise department would be an understatement.  Exercise has been pretty much non-existent in my life for the past month, with the exception of the occasional leisurely stroll in the evening.
I was working out regularly and according to my HR monitor burning lots of calories.  Unfortunately because my thyroid was out of whack yet again and I couldn’t get my Doc to change my prescription it didn’t result in any weight loss.  Actually I gained.  Talk about frustrating. 
 Lynn over at The Next Chapter blogged about having a weekly challenge and suggested 7 days of yoga as the first challenge.  Since the Doc said no P90X, Zumba or anything more than walking for awhile, I thought 7 days of yoga was perfect so I signed up, along with quite a few other blogger.
I went to a couple of yoga classes at the gym when I was a member and have to say it was not something I enjoyed.  I am far from flexible and knew nothing about yoga at the time.  I thought since it was a beginner class that the teacher would show you modifications and ensure you were doing things right.  This wasn’t the case.  
After awhile I thought I would give it a try again so I downloaded some classes off the net.  Again not for me.  I could barely get into the poses let alone hold them for as long as they were.  I became discouraged and just figured yoga wasn’t for me, even though I know it would probably be one of the best things for me.
A couple of months ago I came across a show on PBS about yoga.  Yoga for the Rest of Us.  The instructor was teaching yoga to people with arthritis and showing modifications for each pose.  Being the infomercial junkie that I am, I was convinced this was the program for me so I ordered the DVD’s. 
                         
I affectionately refer to it as “Old Fogies Yoga”  but hey it works for me at the moment and this one in particular is proving to be quite helpful since my back has been killing me lately, and my sciatic issues have resurfaced yet again.
So to start the 7 day yoga challenge yesterday I unrolled my yoga mat, put the “Old Fogies Yoga” dvd in, stretched and relaxed my back.  It was great!   
Six days to go.  With any luck by the end of the challenge I will be addicted to yoga. 
Enjoy your Monday.
~~Jackie